Table of contents for June 2019 in Practical Classics

‘Firstly, we must decide what defines daily use’ As classic owners, particularly if our car is over 40, we enjoy benefits. Free tax, cheap insurance, MoT exemption and now, potentially, exemption from low emissions zone charges. All this has come about thanks to the work of the Federation of Historic British Vehicle Clubs and classic-friendly MPs. But, after Bob Owen’s comment in FBHVC News (see p6), this privileged existence might come with caveats – particularly in the future. Negotiations for ULEZ exemption have seemingly been conducted on the basis that ‘Historic’ cars are neither used ‘as transport’ or ‘daily’ – which leaves many of the readers of this title in a difficult position and brings into question the title of the magazine itself. I foresaw this issue several years ago…

SAT, MAY 18 LONDON Waterloo Classics gathering, SE1 7RG (waterlooclassics.com). SURREY Brooklands Vintage Festival, KT13 0QN (brooklandsmuseum. com). STAFFS Leek Auto Extravaganza, ST6 8PN (leekrotary.co.uk). SAT-SUN MAY 18-19 HANTS Beaulieu Spring Autojumble, SO42 7ZN (beaulieu.co.uk). KENT Faversham Transport Weekend, ME13 7AE (favershamtransportweekend.org). SUN, MAY 19 SURREY Breakfast Meet at Brooklands, KT13 0QN (brooklandsmuseum. com). BUCKS Chiltern Hills Rally, HP22 4NN (chilternhillsrally.org.uk). S WALES Cardiff Classics CF11 8AZ (swccc.net). HERTS: Herts Auto Show, Stanborough Park, AL8 6DF (hertsautoshow. co.uk). DERBYS Classic Transport Day at Crich Tramway Museum, DE4 5DP (tramway.co.uk). SAT-SUN MAY 25-26 OXON Land Rover Legends at Bicester Heritage, OX27 8AL (landroverlegends.com). GLOS La Vie en Bleu and La Vita Rossa at Prescott, GL52 9RD (prescotthillclimb.com). SAT-MON MAY 25-27 MIDDLESEX Enfield Pageant of Motoring, EN1 3PL (whitewebbsmuseum.co.uk). SUN, MAY 26…

The modern world arrives with the launch of the new ‘Worboys Committee’ standardised road signs still in use today. The Post Office Tower opens in London, as does the first PizzaExpress restaurant, while Asda’s first supermarket arrives in Castleford, Yorkshire (the name being an abbreviation of Associated Diaries). AT THE FLICKS The cinemas are alive with The Sound of Music, which proves considerably more interesting to audiences than The Greatest Story Ever Told. Comedy caper chase movies prove popular, with Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines and The Great Race featuring madcap transport and its hapless pilots and IN THE CHARTS Two of the songs that most defined the Sixties – The Rolling Stones’ (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction and The Beatles Help! – are huge hits across the…

Black Mountain Road, near Llandeilo. Wicked hairpins! Bryan Barker Hartside Pass Cumbria is one of my favourite roads, but the Pass of the Cattle to Applecross is my absolute favourite. James Smith Where the M3 southbound joins the M27 eastbound, the slip road is a beautiful constant radius curve. Back in 1993 when I was in the Royal Navy, I remember driving my ’73 BGT through there, feeling just like a racing driver! David Lewis A few years ago I came across the Campsie Fells just north of Glasgow. Barry Nicholson The B4501 in North Wales. Smooth, open corners with good sight lines and lightly trafficked. I was once buzzed by a very quick Audi A7 – turns out it was being driven by a well-known motoring writer! Tim Webb…

AS FOUND This sorry-looking 1970 MGB was where the project began. Will and his dad used it as the basis for the build. The car was almost beyond saving, but they used as much of it as humanly possible. Interior Will fitted an early MGB/V8 hybrid dash (older switches with smaller dials) and vinyl door cards. He found getting the switches to work and lining up the bezels to be tricky. At the wheel 21-year old Will learned everything from his dad, from welding to paint. He’s now learning to maintain a car he intends to use for the occasional track day and on many an adventurous road trip at home and abroad. ‘I love driving the MG and do so as much as possible!’ Power of 8 Talk…

In the Spring 2019 issue of Practical Classics, I stated that I’d have no reservations about driving my freshly-recommissioned 1980 Lada 1600 to Moscow. This was a flippant throwaway remark. On reflection, though, I decided that the concept had a nice ring to it. It’d be a pleasant drive and it was appealingly ridiculous in a ‘coals to Newcastle’ sort of way. A departure date six weeks into the future was chosen and I began a vigorous test-thrashing programme, with a view to breaking anything breakable in advance. Unfortunately, this proved unexpectedly successful. The clutch started slipping towards the end of a particularly spirited day of cross-country flagellation. I whipped out the gearbox when I got home and surveyed the damage. The friction disc was well-worn and showed signs of…

The R8 contained a lot of Honda content, and the takeover of Rover by BMW Group in 1994 meant the company had to move away from as much shared technology as possible. The R8 (in hatchback and saloon form at least) was put out to pasture after just six years, while still a top-seller, and replaced by the new 200 and 400 models, which were separately developed. The 400 we’ll come to, but the 200 was intended for a different market. Smaller than the R8 and bigger than the Metro, it was either a small family hatch or a big supermini. It was developed very quickly, off the R8 platform, and was the first all-Rover ground-up design since the Maestro/Montego. Engine-wise, it came with a K-Series only petrol line-up, with…

‘I joined Rover in late ’83 as Chief Engineer, Petrol Engine Design, when K-Series was still a gleam in the eye of Graham Atkin’s Advanced Engines Department. I can’t remember exactly when but it must have been during 1984 that the project was handed to us in the Product Engineering group. I had responsibility for both Design and Development and I retained this position right through to beyond the start of production for both the original throttle body injection version of K16, the carburettor K8’s and the ‘proper’ K16, using multipoint injections. I carried on in that role through the 1.6 and 1.8 programmes, including the VVC development, until I moved away and set up a multi-disciplinary team to develop the KV6 concept. The K-Series was essential, as the old…

One of the reasons that MG Rover was able to get its Z-Cars into production swiftly after BMW’s exit is because they were projects that had been looked into and swept under the carpet during the German firm’s tenure. The ZR, in particular, was easy to get off the ground. Rover had already been working with RDS Design in Southam, Warks, to develop a body kit for the 25 and it was this that would give the ZR its distinctive look. The flagship model was a true hot hatch, too – no sooner had BMW packed its bags than MG-R was waving around a 160bhp version of the VVC engine that it had clearly known about for some time. It may not have been the most refined machine, but the…

Reader: John Voelcker Road trips to collect old car parts aren’t unusual, but they can be a bit more challenging in a country as large as the United States. I’d agreed to buy two sets of Series MM Morris Minor parts: one in Phoenix, Arizona, the other in Reno, Nevada. I also had a 918cc Minor sidevalve engine to get from Reno to the San Francisco Bay area for a friend who’d agreed to rebuild it. I would have to collect them, somehow. The challenge was that I live three hours north of New York City, in New York State’s Catskill Mountains. That’s 2500 miles from Phoenix – which itself is 750 miles from Reno. I needed a lockable vehicle that could hold the palletised engine, two Minor doors,…

James Walshe Familiarity can often take the shine off the way a car looks so it’s easy to forget just how handsome the MGF is. Back In 2007, I considered buying an ’F but for one thing: the Smart Roadster. Similar layout but, despite the MG being more refined with a proper gearbox, the Sprite-like Smart gave me a full-fat thrill. From the yowling three-cylinder engine to go-kart handling, it sealed the deal by being better packaged, too. It has two boots to the MGF’s one! Matt George I haven’t owned an MGF, but I’ve driven plenty over the years and always found them a hoot to drive. As a taller chap, I also tend to find the ’F roomier than the contemporary Mazda MX-5, too. It still amazes me…

Aaron Radiators, aaronradiator.co.uk 0203 3271010 Andy at Appleyards, jensen.co.uk, 0115 932 5320 Autopaints, autopaintsbrighton. co.uk, 01273 328698 BCC Brakes, info@bcc-parts.com, 01209 202820 Clarion (ICE), clarion.com Culverland Classics, 07841 565312 PALE Classics, paleclassics.co.uk Paint stripping, northgaterestorations.co.uk Rejen Jensen parts, sales@rejen.info or 01962 777400 Retro air-con Fenair.co.uk SuperFlex Bushes, 01749 678152 Tudor Wheels, tudorwheels.co.uk, 07801 269261 Tyres, longstonetyres.co.uk Zircotec heatproofing, zircotec.com…

Sam Glover TECHNICAL EDITOR Sam has broken down in a gigantic variety of classics over the years, then worked out how to fix them. John Simpson MASTER MECHANIC Big John has worked at the greasy end of the motor industry since leaving school. Theodore J Gillam TECHNICAL EXPERT Theo taught automotive engineering and makes amazing things in his shed. Ed Hughes WORKSHOP GENIUS Ed singlehandedly keeps a fleet of obscure classics on the road. He’s never owned a modern car. Kim Henson CLASSIC CAR GURU Kim’s been restoring classics for over four decades. BMC vehicles are his speciality. Nigel Clark DIY RESTORER Nigel’s driveway achievements rival those of professional mechanics. He’s our resident Triumph expert. Soundproofing When everything’s firmly attached, consider fitting new soundproofing felt. Old felt becomes flat and…

Use a mandrel If you need to push the seal deep into a recess, use a mandrel such as a length of pipe or an old bearing track. Make sure it bears on the shoulder of the seal, not the middle. Lubricate Lightly grease the outside of the seal before driving it in. Smear the lip with oil before pushing in the shaft or flange. Decontaminate While the propshaft is out of the way, take the opportunity to clean up the gearbox and transmission tunnel. You will need Ramps or axle stands, torque wrench, socket for gearbox rear nut, levers, new oil seal. There aren’t that many oil seals underneath your classic, but you can bet that most will have been surreptitiously leaking for years. Even if the rate of…

Wolseley 25 HP Drop-head Coupé: A Profile ISBN 978-0-9569676-4-0 £9.45 A nicely compiled and comprehensive profile of ‘the most desirable of all pre-war Wolseleys’ from the Wolseley Register. It is the latest of five model-specific profiles in the series. MT wolseleyregister.co.uk The Rootes Group ISBN 978-1-78442-338-4 £7.99 Utilising beautiful images from the Rootes Archive Centre, this book tells the story of the group from its creation as a car dealership to a dominant force in the British motor industry. MT shirebooks.co.uk Bunty ISBN 978-1-787113-48-0 £19.99 A fascinating biography of a quite brilliant man, David Scott-Moncrieff, and his lifetime passion for vintage cars and Rolls-Royce in particular. MT veloce.co.uk…

1971 VOLVO 145 EXPRESS This ex-Volvo service van is the full commercial varient of the Express. 1971 VOLVO 145 EXPRESS Thomas was first inspired to own an Express after seeing them at work on one of his many visits to Sweden. 1973 VOLVO 142 With just one previous owner, Thomas saved this particular 142 from a basement garage. RESTORER Thomas John Hill lives and breathes all things Volvo, currently owning more than 25 of them – with the 140 series his absolute passion. Despite living in Belgium, he is a regular at Volvo Club events in the UK and across Europe. I first met Thomas John Hill at the Practical Classics Workshop, of all places, when he and friend Robbert Jan Veraa ( PC , May 2019)…

Show sparks memories A visit to the Practical Classics Restoration Show revived some pleasant memories. My dad loved cars: he had a Singer held together by rust and bailer twine! Next was a Rover, then a grey Standard Vanguard. He got a Ford Cortina, which made me sick, then mum and dad bought a greengrocers and the glory days of a Ford Transit MkI began. Our red machine doubled up as my friends’ club HQ in the summer. Some three times a week, Dad had to get up early to go to Spitalfields in east London and the van didn’t like cold early starts. I remember he had to take out the spark plugs and heat them up. He also had a paraffin heater he put under the engine to…

When I was a teenager in my FIAT Panda with uprated Pioneer stereo, it was usually Guns ‘n’ Roses, Welcome to the Jungle or Transvision Vamp, I Want Your Love. I’ve grown up now though and usually listen to Mudhoney. Mark Smith Boys of Summer by Don Henley while driving the Pacific Coast highway in an old V8 Oldsmobile. What a drive! Jake Blight Done many a night time blast down the M4 to From Rush-Hour with Love by Republica. Tim Burgess Rolling along to Canned Heat and On the Road Again! I first saw it performed live at Shepton Mallet, June 1970. Ian Tisdale Any track from AC/DC’s If You Want Blood album, but the Carnage mix of Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s Two Tribes is always a good one.…

SOLD! No single word stirs the consciousness of a classic car enthusiast more. ‘For sale’ is two words in case you were counting. Selling a classic car can mean a mixture of relief, pain and regret. It may be a forced sale due to personal circumstances. Most of us remember a vehicle that, looking back, we most regret parting with. Mine was a 1947 Wolseley 18/85 that was ex-Scotland Yard. Imagine ‘spivs’ being shoved onto that comfortable back seat against a backdrop of bombed out blackened buildings in postwar London. However, in Eighties Hastings, I never could quite get the car to run right, needed the cash and a Wolseley 15/50 project was on offer in part exchange. Regrettable purchases? Very many. No-one could fail to largely sympathise with the…

Jaguar E-type Series 1 Chris Hikins from Australia wins Rust in Peace hands down this month by showing us a car he recently rescued from the woods in Queensland – a ‘complete and not bodged’ Series 1 Jaguar E-type FHC. Chris has wasted no time in stripping it down completely straight off the trailer and, as we go to press, the car and engine have been dismantled for restoration. Ford Prefect Here is a Ford being used as an impromptu garden. This Ford Prefect gets the punters in at a coffee shop along South Africa’s garden route in the Western Cape Province, sent in by Ian Smith. 1983 Citroën GS Break Alan Woods from Market Deeping sent in a picture of this GS Break sitting in a garden in Cambridgeshire.…

‘I organised the press launch for the engine, working closely with Sivert Hiljemark, Roger Stone and the team. It was an opportunity for the new-look Rover to make a big technology statement and show the world that our powertrain engineering team was a class act. The company needed a new engine for the R8 range and decided that it had to be a 100 per cent British-designed and manufactured unit. The need to display leading technology was also a key driver, along with light weight and world class emissions/ fuel economy – having the ECV three-cylinder engine concept work in the bag provided the technology boost and wow factor that was needed to impress. We also need to be grateful for the tenacity of Harold Musgrove in convincing a doubting…

Here’s a pub quiz factoid for you – the Rover 45 was the very first car to go on sale in the 21st century, arriving in Rover showrooms across the land on January 4, 2000. It was an evolution of the 400 HH-R, with two very distinctive angles to the range – the hatchback models were all rebranded as 45i variants (iE, iL, iXl, iS) and the saloons adopted the names of the posher 75 – Classic, Club and Connoisseur. Aside from styling tweaks, the biggest change for the 45 over the 400 was the use of K-Series engines across the range, with the car’s bulkhead modified to allow for Rover’s ‘Stepspeed’ CVT gearbox, which was already in use on the 25 and MGF. This saved Rover from having to…

There were a few other manufacturers that used the K-Series that we ought to mention. The Ariel Atom, for example, or the Scimitar Sabre – a reincarnation of the SS1 sports car. The GTM 3 and GTM Libra kit cars also used K-Series power – based on the Metro, they were a modern take on the Mini Marcos. But perhaps the most industrious re-use of the K-Series goes to Polish manufacturer FSO, which, in 1993, decided to upgrade its Caro (previously Polonez) model with a K-Series 16v engine. With 103bhp and eager power delivery, the already ponderous Caro was even more of a handful Huge thanks to: This feature wouldn’t have been possible without the help of PC readers who brought their cars along. Thanks to Tony Wright, Matt Lynch,…

SAT MAY 18 Historics at Brooklands, Mercedes-Benz World, Weybridge, Surrey. (01753 639170, historics.co.uk) SAT MAY 25 Classic Car Auctions, Warwickshire Exhibition Centre, Leamington Spa, Warks. (01926 640888, classiccarauctions.co.uk) SAT MAY 25 Morris Leslie Classic Auctions, Errol Airfield, Perth. (01821 642574, morrisleslie.com) TUE JUN 4 Barons Auctions’ British Heritage sale, Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey. (023 8066 8413, barons-auctions.com) SAT JUN 15 Anglia Car Auctions’ classic sale, The Cattlemarket, King’s Lynn, Norfolk. (01553 771881, angliacarauctions.co.uk) WED JUN 19 H&H Classics, Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambs. (01925 210035, handh.co.uk) SUN JUN 23 Charterhouse Auctions, Shepton Mallet, Somerset. (01935 812277, charterhouse-auction. com) WED JUN 26 Brightwells’ Classic & Vintage, Bicester Heritage, Bicester, Oxfordshire. (01568 611122, brightwells.com)…

Prices have risen over the past ten years and remain strong. The cars are beautiful and give you all the classic feel and performance you need without an E-type price tag - we expect prices to remain robust. Expect to pay up to £7000 for something that’s usable but will probably need a little work; if you stumble you can purchase a superb Stag that doesn’t want for anything, but if you really want a show-winner then you can spend as much as £30,000 or even more. Projects go for anything from £1k-£3k. You can be on the road in a shed for that, but expect trouble. on a quick sale then you might be able to spend less, but it’s the luck of the draw. If you can stretch…

1971 Jensen Interceptor II Engine 6313cc/V8/OHV Power 330bhp@5000rpm Torque 425lb ft@2800rpm Gearbox 3-speed auto 0-60mph 7.4sec Top speed 136mph Fuel economy 14.4mpg Work done Engine rebuilt, dropped in and started. Car driven and prepared for MoT test. Also in Danny’s garage 1950 RILEY RMA Engine fiddling continues. 1956 RILEY PATHFINDER i need to weld the chassis. 1972 TRIUMPH 2000 About to visit Uncle Dale. 1973 WOLSELEY SIX Needs work for MoT test. 1980 TRIUMPH TR7 Will be on our big club run. 1987 MAZDA 626 COUPÉ It is still skulking in a tent. 1998 ROVER 825 COUPÉ New front discs fitted. 1999 VW PASSAT TDI 50mpg, big loadbay, a truck. 2000 HONDA INSIGHT Does 78mpg, great to drive, my daily commuter… love it. It’s always been a battle. Eight long…

1970 Morris Minor Saloon Engine 1275cc/4-cyl/OHV Power Plenty Torque Unknown Gearbox 5-speed manual 0-60mph Yes Top speed To be confirmed Fuel economy Who knows! Work done Heated leather seats modified to fit. Car primed and filler work begun. Also in Matt’s garage 1960 MORRIS MINOR CONVERTIBLE On the button joy, perfect now the weather’s a bit better 1968 AUSTIN MINI ESTATE Was on the Carole Nash ‘Barn Finds’ stand at the PC Show. 1969 MORRIS MINOR TRAVELLER My current daily drive – and I’m very happy about it. 1972 MGB GT Crank assembly is away for balancing. I find that a firm deadline really helps to get thing done! With the Minor in bare metal, I set about implementing the plan that I’d formed at the Classic Motor Show in…

Your feature on final drives didn’t include Salisbury axles fitted to Jaguars, Morgans, Scimitars, etc. To strip these, the hubs must be removed from the halfshafts. This requires up to 12 tons from a hydraulic extractor or a press. Screw the hubnut back on the shaft to prevent the hub and extractor flying off and to protect the threads. Don’t try using claw extractors. Pictured is the type I use. It’s designed for VAG hubs, but it fits these axles perfectly. A good one is about £90. Dave Dockerill, via email…

You will need Fuel pressure gauge, toughened or laminated glass sheet, wet-and-dry paper, brake cleaner, grease, petroleum jelly, Loctite 243 and 515, compressed air, 3mm Allen key, multimeter. Find data Consult your manual or the internet to find system data for your specific make, model and year. This is essential for adjusting the system, as outlined on the final page. Variants We’re rebuilding a basic iron-bodied system fitted to a 1981 Porsche 924. The processes are similar for other variants, but the peripherals may be different and greater in number. Go to k-jet.biz for kits and more information. Warm-up heater Check the resistance of the warm-up regulator heater’s resistor. Make sure it matches the resistance that’s written on it. Replace it if it doesn’t. Bosch K-Jetronic injection is thing of…

Carburettors Top up the dashpots with SAE20, SAE30 or 20w50. Lubricate the choke and throttle linkages and make sure both throttles open fully when the pedal is pressed to the floor. See manual for full tuning and balancing procedure. Spark plugs Clean with a brass wire brush and set the gap every 6000 miles; replace every 12,000 or if the electrodes are eroded. Fit with a dab of copper grease. Don’t overtighten. Oil and filter Remove the 13/16in AF sump plug and drain with the engine warm. Renew the plug’s sealing washer if it’s ailing. Replace the filter, first applying a little fresh oil to the seal. Do not overtighten. Refill, run briefly, recheck the level and look for leaks. Water pump Check for leaks and play in the pulley.…

Sealey Cordless Angle Grinder £235.14 sealey.co.uk Although this hasn’t been in the PC workshop for very long, it’s quickly become our most-used tool. Taking just one hour to fully charge, it’s never out of service for long and is incredibly handy when something needs a quick cut or linish. It’s compact, too – so fits into spaces some 240v grinders cannot and is light enough to use comfortably in most positions. Powered by a 20v Lithium-ion battery, it features spindle lock for quick disc changes and an adjustable disc guard. A really useful bit of kit that we now wouldn’t be without.…

Pembrokeshire calling… The Pembrokeshire Classic Car Club, who we’ll be visiting on our trip round Britain with Footman James in June (see main story), will be holding its annual show on June 2 at Scolton Manor, Haverfordwest SA62 5QL. The club hopes to have more than 600 cars on display and raise more than £10,000 for charity. Counting the overall cost The FBHVC will present its 2019 National Cost of Ownership Survey in the Palace of Westminster on Tuesday May 14. This mid-term survey comes at a time of ‘unprecedented change and uncertainty in the historic vehicle movement.’ PC will be in attendance on the day. Swinging Sixties celebrated Our latest special edition publication features all your favourite Sixties Brit classics in one place. From restoration articles and road trips…

If you’re in the West Midlands and fancy taking part in a midweek meet, Robin Webb has just the thing for you. He told PC: ‘There are lots of classic car meets at the weekend but very little in the week, so I’ve set one up at Spetchley Park Gardens near Worcester (WR5 1RS). It will take place on the first and third Wednesdays of the month from April until October. All classics are welcome, whether they’re cars, motorbikes, commercials, buses or anything else. We’re levying a small charge to cover costs; it’s £3 on the gate or £2.50 if you book in advance via wheelsonwednesday. co.uk.…

MG Rover shut its doors for good in April 2005 and to mark the occasion, every spring owners of Longbridge-built cars gather in Cofton Park, opposite the old factory. This year’s gathering was the best in a long time – around 1500 cars assembled for one of the most relaxed socials in the classic world. Nobody cared about condition or originality; an MG SVR rubbed shoulders with Midgets and MGBs, there were lines of Metros, ZRs and ZSs, a healthy dose of Montegos and Maestros plus far more. We’ll definitely be back in 2020 – follow tinyurl.com/ y33ov3rm for more.…

1 Best Advice Having loads of parts on hand has been so useful for the restoration – and cheaper too. Buy parts when you see them and stockpile them. It will pay dividends in the long run. 2 Proudest Moment It’s always satisfying taking a freshly-finished project straight out on a long trip. I took this 145 Express to the owners meeting in the UK for its first proper outing. It got lots of attention. 3 Biggest Challenge None, really. Volvo 140s are very straightforward to work on, both mechanically and bodily with all the panels being bolt-on. Plus I know them inside out after all these years so I can take them apart the way they were put together. 4 Favourite tool I have a good number of original…

I bought a practical daily and a classic in one day! Both silver Mondeo 1.8 LXs! I’ve done 3k in the Ford Mondeo since February and it’s now at 56k miles. Sean Greenwood I use a Mercedes 300D. It is a big old boat for £600! Neil Gurner I drive my Golf MkIII daily. It’s a 133k 1.8 auto in perfect condition, which cost me £150, with full service history and three days MoT. I have now spent over £600, but it’s worth it. Euan Munt Given that I live in the land of roundabouts, having a daily driver that has a total disregard for the laws of physics seemed to make sense. It’s a Xantia Activa – the one with the active zero roll ride! Xantias are usually bargains…

We realised the day wasn’t going to go quite as planned, when I got an electric shock from the windscreen surround. After her two-year restoration by Richard Skinner of Tudor Wheels and the PC team, ‘Dakota Katy’ sits, refusing to run on all cylinders, in the pouring rain outside Richard’s workshop in the heart of the New Forest. ‘Katy’ first appeared on the PC stand at the Beaulieu Spring Autojumble in 2016, her centenary year, freshly-saved from a Dakota scrapyard. Complete with a bent chassis, seized engine and copious amounts of rust, it’s been a restoration that has taken far more than the 93 minutes Henry Ford’s team took to assemble her in the first place. The result, however, is stunning. An early Model T, our car lacks some of…

None of us really needs a classic car and all the heartache, expense, man-maths justification and time-consumption that go with it. We own them because we love them. We regard their foibles as evidence of character, we find them more engaging to drive than a modern. The old memories they evoke, and the new ones they generate, are precious to us. The relationship can be intense at times. A car is an inanimate object, with no will of its own, but it hardly seems like that. There are times when the car feels great, other times when it doesn’t, but often the reason is as much in your head as because something has changed. Sometimes, though, the things that annoy you overwhelm the things you love about a car. And…

Lotus wasn’t the only sports car maker to like the idea of the K-Series, with Caterham offering the engine from 1991 until MG Rover’s demise in 2005. Indeed, the Seven was actually the first sports car to use the K-Series, albeit the 1.4 16v unit in Metro GTi tune. In 1996, the K-Series 1.6 was added, followed by the 1.8 in 1997. Given the Caterham’s featherweight construction, all were ridiculously quick. The most frantic model, though, was the R500 Superlight, which used a Caterhamdeveloped dry-sump version of the K-Series developing 230bhp. 0-60mph in three seconds, anyone? Caterham also used the K-Series in its ill-fated Caterham 21 – a sports car based on the Seven running gear but with a larger, more practical sports car bodyshell. It was arguably quite pretty,…

Following its development of the K-Series, Rover used the same technology to develop a new V6 engine. The KV6 was essentially two K-Series engines minus a cylinder each, mounted together in a V-formation, and was wickedly smooth, though early examples were extremely fragile and many Rover 800 engines were replaced under warranty. By the time the 75 appeared in 1999, the KV6 was available in both 2.0 and 2.5-litre forms. It also went into the Rover 45 V6 and ZS 180, and was sold under licence to Kia for use in the Sedona MPV. Later, MG Motor’s new owner, SAIC, developed its own version of the K-Series in conjunction with Ricardo. The Kavachi engine is based on the 1.8-litre K’ – it powers the MG6 and cars in China built…

We appear to be seeing the return of the auction bargain. I used to be able to highlight at least one in every issue of PC ; everyone loves a bargain. But a long-term booming market, which these days has focused down on the everyday classics we all love, has largely scuppered that delight. To be fair, the market for affordable classics from the Eighties and prior is still strong. That means that most of opportunist deals that are popping up more and more frequently this year are for modern classics, like the Scimitar SS1 mentioned in the H&H sale review (see right). I was able to call that a real steal, but to be honest I’ve been spoilt for choice for those in recent months. It started with a…

My wife Michelle and I both owned classic cars in the past. Our neighbour Tom is also into them and we had spent many days talking to him about them, so he suggested that we should buy another. We decided we really want a Moggie. A friend was selling his 1953 split-screen, so we went to have a look. Even though she needs a full restoration, we fell in love with her. But we realised after joining our local MMOC branch and enjoying ourselves so much that we had to get another Moggie we could drive now. We found this lovely, 1958 turquoise one. It had sat in a garage unloved for two years but with help from some members over a weekend (big thank you, Tom and Matt) we…

1972 Triumph GT6 MkIII Price: £14,950 Was recently resprayed and treated to a mechanical overhaul. Appeared in two episodes of Life on Mars, series two. Photos taken with the cast are included in the history file. 1980 Austin Maxi 1750 HLE Price: £3295 Stored for 12 years since being completely rebuilt and still immaculate. Left to vendor in will but he has no use for it. 69,000 miles. 1980 Ford Escort 1600 Ghia Price: £7995 A UK market car with genuine 43,000 miles that still wears its original paint, it has never been welded and still remains sound. Fresh MoT certificate.…

1 How long have you had your Stag? I bought it four years ago and, I’ve got to be honest, I have found it to be the ideal classic. My brother Nigel owned a Stag in the Nineties; he’s pictured here with me (on the right) when we went to the Spa Classic. He was part of the insporiation to buy this one, I haven’t regretted it one bit. 2 What made you choose it? I’ve owned numerous Triumphs in the past but I really wanted one with a V8. With two children in tow, that meant it had to be a Stag, and a manual one at that. Three friends died of cancer in quick succession, so I decided it was time to bite the bullet. You only live…

2002 Rover 75 Club 1.8T Engine 1796cc/4-cyl/DOHC Top speed 130mph Fuel economy 35mpg Work since last report Block checked: condemned. Another day’s fun was in prospect as former Rover engineer Iain Turner rocked up to the PC workshop. With the head skimmed we thought it worthwhile to carefully check the block. So, that’s what we did. Game Over – the liner on cylinder three had dropped. Given that this engine has been through several head gasket failures, I’ve decided to cut my losses and look for a short engine. So, until I find one, here is Iain’s K-Series head gasket top ten check list. 1. Make sure it’s actually the head gasket that has failed before piling in! Get a ‘sniff test’ done to check for combustion gases in the…

1Remove feet On the bottom of the KA seat runners, there are four feet. Use a flap disc, finger file or drill to remove their rivets and remove all four feet. Touch up any damaged paint on the runners. 2 Off with the foot Discard this odd-shaped foot. It’s designed for the KA floorpan and is not required in this application. 4 Halve the wide foot Cut the wide foot from the rear runner in half along its width, as shown. These are your new rear feet. 3 Fit front feet Bolt the feet shown to the front of both runners, holes facing inwards. Slide runners back simultaneously. 5 Fit rear feet Bolt each half from Step Four to the back of the runners. Point the…

Volvo S80 D5 Engine 2401cc/5-cyl/OHC Power 163bhp@4000rpm Fuel economy 52mpg Work done Wishbone fitted; cruise control fault rectified. My £300 daily driver has proven itself a hundred times over so far, including on a recent trip to Belgium and France with my friend and fellow history geek Heather. We cruised there in comfort, poked around  the battlefields of the Western Front and then returned during gale-force wind and torrential deluges. As you’d expect from a 200,000-mile motor, it isn’t perfect and so before the trip, I tended to the droplinks and had the cracked lower wishbone replaced (see picture). I then attempted to rectify the non-functioning cruise control by swapping out the old clutch position sensor (it simply clips into place at the top of the pedal box). I’m physically…

1962 Morris Minor 1000 Engine 1098cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 48bhp@5500rpm Torque 72lb ft@2400rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual Top speed 77mph 0-60mph 24.8sec Fuel economy 34mpg Work done Chassis probed; rot and bodgery found; parts bought. Also in Ben’s garage 1972 BEDFORD CF DORMOBILE Sold. Now somebody else can tackle a never-ending project. It is amazing how some cars can hold themselves together,’ said Sam Glover, as we inspected the underside of my Morris Minor. How very true. With the car raised up on Sam’s two-post workshop lift, it was clear that the Minor had very little left in the way of structural strength, with far more rot and bodged repairs than I had expected to find. Yet somehow it was still holding itself in one car-shaped piece. Probing the crusty remnants of the…

The genesis of this hefty (267kg with clutch) diesel engine goes back to the Austin FX3 taxi. The cab proved expensive to run on its original 2199cc OHV petrol engine and diesel conversions by Ferguson and Perkins prompted BMC to come up with its own oil-burner. The engine went on to motivate the Austin Gipsy, the Morris LD van and most famously the FX4 taxi, which used it widely from its launch in 1958 until 1971, when a 2.5-litre unit replaced it. Many examples are still stoically stirring the gunge in the bottom of Britain’s canals under the name of Newage Commander as marinised power for narrowboats. [A] BEARING CAPS The workshop manual is very proud of the engine’s sturdy main bearings: ‘The forged steel counterbalanced crankshaft is supported in…

I displayed my little Fiat at the Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show in March and couldn’t believe the attention it got. I never expected so many people to take an interest. When I originally went to see it in 2014, the bottom six inches of the car didn’t exist. It had been left in a leaky garage in Oxfordshire, so the structure was in poor condition. You can buy new sills and floor sections for the 500 but if anything else is rusty you’re very much on your own. I therefore had to fabricate much of the bodywork myself from scratch, making the sheet metal panels at home. The process took me eight months, with the total rebuild taking more than two years, which included a refurbished interior.…

Prices are researched from several sources, including clubs, auctions, the trade and advertisements online and in print. Prices are reviewed and updated every issue. Our C/D rating is a basic guide to what you can expect to pay (£) for the best examples of a model, a concours car or something from a dealer. CONDITION 1 means well-presented cars that have no obvious faults. CONDITION 2 cars are capable of regular use. They have a current MoT certificate but will need work and/or original parts. CONDITION 3 cars usually need a full rebuild, but may be driveable and MoT’d. PLEASE NOTE You can’t value any car without seeing it – don’t buy blind. KEY auto: automatic cab: cabrioletcon: convertible est: estate lhd: left-hand drive lim: limousine rwd: rear-wheel drive sal:…